The Things We See
by brown rabbits
Summary: When the lights dim and the curtain closes, the leading man always gets the girl. A group on Balthier/Fran oneshots. Recently Revised.
1. The Things We See

The Things We See

One sided Ashe/Balthier, Balfran

~*0*~

It is well past dark and Ashe is still awake. She tosses and turns thrashing like a fish out of water. She knows the reason why, and yet she will not admit it, even to herself. Over the past weeks, she has grown restless and distant. She is afraid that she has fallen for the charming sky pirate who has abandoned a life of privilege to fly free in the sky. Deep down, Ashe knows that if she is going to be truly honest with herself, the likelihood of such a thing working is far-fetched and unconventional. However, some part of her still grasps at the idea that maybe she can convince Balthier to come back to Dalmasca with her, to convince him to give up pirating. A part of her is sure she could persuade him, tame him, even. She would make him happy, if only she could make him trust her!

Ashe rolls out of her bunk and wraps a blanket tightly around herself. She will go to see him. She will tell him that she wants him to come back to Dalmasca with her, to be her king. The high court of Rabanastre could hardly disapprove; he was of noble, Archadian, blood, but firmly against the policies of Vayne Solidor and his father; he would make a good king, and she was sure general populace would accept him.

Ashe wonders whether her deceased consort would approve of her attraction to the devious pirate, but Rassler is a distant memory in her mind. She had loved him, in a way, but the marriage had been for the good of Dalmasca, and she had barely known him, even at the time of his death. She had spent very little time with the quiet prince, and she longed for someone with more life and vigor than her former husband. A voice inside her protests, but she shoves it down firmly, Ashe is done with the past, although it is the past she runs to when the future is too cruel.

The princess' bare feet pad quietly down the worn, wooden, corridor of the _Strahl_, her quiet breathing keeping time with her even footsteps. She pauses outside the quarters where the sky pirate sleeps, then slowly inches the door open.

What she sees crushes any hope she ever had of making Balthier her king. She feels the air rush out of, her lungs and a feeling of dread settles in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes cloud with tears and she grips the doorframe to steady herself. But she is not the only one awake now. A pair of inhumanly crimson eyes study her, curious and questioning.

Ashe slams the door and dashes down the hall. She curls into a fetal position on her bunk and blinks tears out of her eyes. What she saw in Balthier's quarters was neither vulgar nor revolting, but something far more damaging to the stubborn princess.

Balthier was lying on his bunk, as she had expected, sleeping on top of his bed sheets, as they were sleeping in a hot airship, over an ever hotter desert. None of this bothered her. It was the Viera who was lying next to the sky pirate who Ashe took such issue with. Fran's long legs were wrapped around Balthier's waist, and his fingers were woven into her long hair. Ashe felt sick to her stomach.

Evidently the prodigal son and daughter did _not_ have a brother-sister relationship.

~*0*~

Fran was awake the second the doorknob started to turn. When she lifted her head from Balthier's warm chest she saw the princess, standing in the doorway. When Ashe saw Fran's curious gaze, she jumped back and flitted away, slamming the door and making Fran wince as the loud sound reached her ears. The Viera, ever observant, knew the reason for the princesses' visit. She knew Ashe lusted over her partner, even if the princess was not aware of her feelings herself. She also knew her partner was aware of the princesses' feelings; he found them both amusing and slightly annoying at the start, but Fran had come to fear Balthier hid real feelings behind his humor and mockery.

It was at that moment that said man stirred and opened honey-amber orbs to gaze at her, a slight wrinkle appearing on his forehead and concern prevalent in his eyes.

"Did something wake you?"

Fran nods slowly, "T'was the princess. I suspect she wanted to see you, but upon discovering my presence she quickly took her leave." The Viera hesitated, "If you would like to go after her I do not object. If your feelings are changing…" She trailed off, suddenly not trusting her voice to remain steady.

Balthier smirked, putting on his usual mask of nonchalance, "But my dear, why would I go after our prickly queen when I am so comfortable here?" He pulled her closer and whispered into one soft-as-satin ear, "I have no feelings for Ashe, and I would never leave you unless it was by our own request."

His warm breath caressed Fran's cheek and she shivered, a rush of desire racing up her spine. Fran was neither cruel nor unkind, but at this moment the princesses' feelings were far from her concern. She slid her hand behind Balthier's head and pressed his lips to hers, relishing the feeling of his tongue against hers.

The sky pirate ran from many things, (nethicite-obsessed fathers and corrupt military regimes, to name a few), but Balthier would never run from the leading lady he loved.

~*0*~

FIN

~*0*~

You may notice some slight differences, that's because I'm going through and doing some revisions.


	2. The Devil's in the Details

Firstly, I'm making this into a series of one-shots. I'm not going to update regularly, only when I get ideas. Secondly, I want to thank my reviewers especially the unsigned ones (since I can't reply to them). **FranonCrack**- Thank you so much! I'm very glad you don't think my writing is horribly OOC.

**Fang**- I'm happy you liked it! I agree, Balthier and Fran were two of the most compelling characters in the game.

**Fidya chan**- You got your wish, more balfran!

I forgot this before, so… Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy.

~*0*~

**The Devil's in the Details**

Penelo is a quiet person. Out of the entire party, she is probably the one person who speaks the least. The shy orphan is just a bit overwhelmed. A few weeks ago she was doing odd jobs for a Banga, now she's running around Ivalice trying to stop The Empire from starting a war! But just because Penelo is dashing across the continent, doesn't mean she isn't watching.

~*0*~

The first thing she notices is the scars. One day, when the party is stopped for lunch, she spies four white lines, all parallel to one another, running down from Balthier's collarbone and disappearing under his linen shirt. She is too shy to ask him about them herself, so she drops a few hints and fairly soon Vaan is questioning the sky pirate.

"Hey Balthier! Baaalthieeeer!"

"What is it?" Snaps the older man.

Unperturbed, Vaan carried on, "What are those scars from?" He gestured vaguely to Balthier's neck, "They look pretty nasty!"

Balthier sighed, obviously annoyed, "Recreational activities."

He phrased his answer to confuse the boy, but Penelo had spent many hours in the Rabanastre library, during which she had become quite well-versed. She gave a small smile.

Vaan sat dumbfounded.

Basch choked on him water.

Ashe looked up and furrowed her brow; thankfully she had not been paying attention.

Fran bit her lip, trying to keep herself from smiling.

Balthier rocked back on his heels, looking _very_ smug.

Clearly, 'partners' could be interpreted in many different ways.

~*0*~

The next thing she sees is the ring. Balthier is pointing out a lesser known, more efficient, route into Archades, when she sees a beautiful ring, a color that oddly reminds her of Fran's hair, and inset with rubies. The band rests between two other rings the colors of the sky and of fresh, pink cotton candy. But despite their bright colors, these two gaudy ornaments were outdone by the small, yet beautiful band. But it was not this that made Penelo think the platinum band had some special significance.

Balthier wears the ring on his left hand. On his ring finger.

A shaft of sunlight struck the red jewels, making Penelo wince. She shifted her gaze upwards, blinking to try to clear the sunspots out of her eyes. Lifting her gaze she saw…Rubies. Except these rubies were not cut from stone. They were set in the face of a Viera. It almost seemed as if the ring Balthier wore was trying to capture the essence of his Viera partner. Penelo had had her suspicions, but she never would have guessed… 'It's probably just coincidence', she thought to herself.

But that doesn't stop her from discretely looking through the marriage records in the Draklor Laboratories. She finds that the page where 'Bunansa' should be is missing. It could be a filing error, but Balthier does seem to disable the security system a little too fast.

~*0*~

Finally, the night before the Bahamut, Penelo stumbles upon hard proof that the two sky pirates are partners in a very non-business manner. Penelo was about to get a glass of water before going to bed, but when she passed by the bridge she noticed that Balthier and Fran were both still awake. Giving into a curious urge, the young orphan stopped to listen, hiding herself in a deep shadow.

"You should rest, your worry, it tires you."

"Ah, don't fret Fran; it wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to leave you here alone."

"The repairs are done. You would be a greater aid to yourself if you were to sleep."

"I will retire when you do."

Fran gave her sky pirate partner a small smile, "You may play the leading role, but insuperable you are not."

Balthier's voice took a somber, unguarded tone. "Sometimes I fear you are right." He whispered. Then he kissed her lightly.

When Balthier pulled away, Fran grasped his hand and stood, guiding him down the hall, towards the sleeping quarters.

"Tomorrow, we must be careful." She whispered. "I would not like to be without a partner."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Somehow Penelo doubted they would be getting much sleep, and not just from the nerves.

~*0*~

FIN

~*0*~

Review please!


	3. The Name Game

Hi again! My ideas for drabbles are running out, so I'll take any requests, although I can't guarantee I'll write them.

I also want to thank **Fang** for their second review and **Kibasgirltsumi** for their first.

~*0*~

Fran has always enjoyed stargazing. Every night since she was very young she would gaze at the stars from the tops of the tallest of the forest's trees. The Wood did not approve of this habit, but Fran persisted, and every night she found herself once again gazing at the inky sky.

This habit did not stop when she left the wood. It did not stop when she lived with the Garif. And Fran had no reason to believe that it would stop just because she had crossed paths with the self-proclaimed sky pirate 'Balthier'.

And so when Fran climbed out of the hatch that led to the roof of the _Strahl_ she was surprised to find that her young hume companion had beat her there. Balthier lay on his back on the cold, pearly gray, exterior of the airship. His arms and legs were spread wide like the wings of a bird, and he gazed quietly into the starry heavens above.

She decided to make her presence know. Walking over, she allowed her stilettos to sing out the rhythm of her steps, just loud enough for the hume's ears to hear. When she lay down next to him he turned his gaze towards her, and she met his expectant and questioning amber eyes.

"The night sky holds much allure for me." She offered in way of explanation, "I have gazed at her every eve for many a year, and to break such a habit now would seem to me a waste."

"Then we have something in common." The young man whispered, his voice unguarded and genuine, stripped of its excessive charm and sly mannerisms I the cool night air.

"Indeed, we have much in common; we have fled the institutions of our birth to experience that which was once forbidden to us."

"Well I hope you don't mind sharing this particular experience with me," he gestured at the sky, "I hate to be stubborn, but such a thing is too precious to waste."

"It is your ship." The ever-practical Viera replied.

~*0*~

Years later, wrapped in the sky pirate's arms instead on lying next to him, Fran wondered why she gazed at far off stars. After all, a celestial being was close at hand, in fact, he was stroking her hair and whispering softly in her ear.

~*0*~

Review please!


	4. Things Long Gone

**Hi! Me again, just a heads up this may be the last chapter for quite some time. I have other things to work on so… But I'm online often so don't be shy if you feel the need to PM me!**

~*0*~

Fran had always known that Jote was wrong about many things. She just hadn't expected her to be so mistaken about something as important as this.

~*0*~

Fran stood at the edge of the forest. Perched on a precipice between the life she knew and a life she wanted to know more about. Behind her lay thick, mossy, trees and dark shadows. In front of her lay miles of endless plains, and after that desert, and then hume cities and villages.

"Sister, you must not do this." Spoke Jote, her only escort to the boundaries of the wood (Mjrn had stayed behind, too grief-stricken to leave her bed).

Fran flicked her ears in dismissal.

"The hume voices, they will drown out the voice of the wood. Their constant noise will be a burden too great." There was pleading in her voice, but it was masking a far more sinister suggestion. A threat.

"My mind has long been made up, this must be goodbye, sister." The younger Viera kissed the elder's cheek and walked away from everything she had ever known. She had no knowledge that Jote's words would come back to haunt her.

~*0*~

Fran's first years outside of the wood were like endless torture. Her hearing, perfect for picking up on even the lightest tread of the smallest creature in the quiet atmosphere of Golomore, could not handle the glut of sound that could be heard in hume cities. Every waking moment was spent in pain, and at night the Viera would toss and turn restlessly; the cacophony of hume noise would make rest feel unobtainable.

As the years turned to decades Fran feared Jote's words had been less of a veiled threat and more of an ominous prophecy. She could no longer seek solace in the distant murmurings of the wood, and the endless surplus of hume noise raged as loud as ever.

~*0*~

On a hot, Dalmascan, summer day, Fran felt herself taking shelter in a hume tavern. The noise had only abated slightly when she stepped through the threshold, but inside it was cool, a virtue that would soothe her aching head.

Fran wandered towards the notice board, searching for a mark that would take her far from the overbearing noise of Rabanastre, perhaps into the serene, windy quiet of the Dalmascan desert.

Whilst looking over the postings, Fran spotted an interesting announcement. It read:

_Wanted: One airship navigator, some experience required. _

_Pay: Forty percent of all gains, minimum three-month agreement._

_If interested, please see Balthier, Sand Street Aerodome, Dock 14_

This attracted Fran's interest, she had a minimal experience with piloting but she could navigate airships to a greater degree. But, what better place to escape humes and their overbearing chorus than high above them, in a clear, blue, _quiet_, sky?

~*0*~

The next morning, Fran had found herself in front a sleek looking airship. The craft had been modified many times, and clearly belonged to a sky pirate, a detail that had been left out of the posting. This did not bother Fran, but it did say a great deal about her new employer, a man who lied about his name, background, and qualifications. Had it been anyone else, Fran would not have taken the job. Habitual lying usually disturbed her but in this instance, Fran felt it was perfectly allowable.

The man had a voice like liquid gold; it ran over her ears and burned through every single bothersome noise that had previously plagued her. The posting on the notice board had said three months. But Fran was sure that as long as she could drown in the smooth tones of this hume '_Balthier's' _caressing speech, she would remain by his side.

Then Fran was struck by a horrible realization.

Lente help her if Balthier ever caught a cough.

~*0*~

**Review please!**


	5. It Would Be Nice

Okay, so I know I said 'adieu' momentarily but INSPIRATION HATH STRUCKETH or to be less melodramatic, a random idea popped into my head (at 2:00 AM no less!). Please enjoy!

*~0~*

**It Would Be Nice**

Fran had delicate, viera, skin. And no matter how darkly colored, under the right conditions, viera skin could burn.

Living in a shadowy forest, a canopy of thick foliage shielding her from the sun, Fran's russet skin had never been wholly acquainted with the sun. Of course, the chocolate membrane had exchanged passing greetings with the fiery luminary suspended in the sky; brief contact while Fran passed through a clearing, or a splash of illumination when she shifted under a fissure in the thick flora. However, even after she had left the wood, the viera tended to stay away from hot, dry areas, mainly due to her belief that while deserts and such were quite large, there was not much variety to be seen (quantity over quality). To put it differently, Fran had little experience with the concept widely referred to as 'sunburn'.

*~0~*

Now, as the group trekked through the Dalmascan desert, well aware of the bright sun and having prepared accordingly (Amounts sunscreen varying from light application to Vaan and Penelo's tan faces, to the several layers that were needed to protect the formerly subterranean-dwelling Basch) Fran walked calmly at the back of the party, unaware of the harmful effect the bright sun was having on her fragile skin. Much like a child in early summertime, she had no knowledge that the ever present, slightly-uncomfortable heat would soon be the cause of great hurt.

*~0~*

Hours later, when the party had stopped for the night, and Fran was still blissfully unaware of her scalded state (although she was conscious of a slight burnt smell that had accompanied her since noontime), the viera and her sky pirate partner poured over maps in a dimly lit tent.

"Fran…" Balthier murmured distractedly, reaching out to touch her shoulder, attempting to bring her attention to a landmark on the paper. When his hand touched her dark skin she cried out unexpectedly, not quite believing the feeling of pain. Balthier jumped and turned towards his partner.

"Something wrong?"

Fran experimentally pressed her fingers against her shoulder; wincing when her long digits made contact. "When my skin is touched… It seems to pain me."

Balthier leaned closer, "Yes it would appear that you're looking slightly flushed, your face and shoulders are quite burnt."

"Burnt?"

"Sunburnt. Surly you are familiar with the concept?"

Fran tilted her head disbelievingly. "Pirate, I believe you are mistaken, we are too far from the sun to possibly incur any damage."

Balthier gave his partner a slight smirk "My dear, I knew you did not fully understand the hume world, but I had no knowledge that you were unaware that when soft-skinned creatures like ourselves spend too much time in the desert sun, our skin becomes horribly red and painfully sensitive to any touch." The gunner stood to his full height, "Fortunately I believe I can remedy your painful situation."

Balthier ducked out of the tent and Fran heard him exchanging words with Penelo. Soon after, he was back, holding a light blue porcelain jar, painted with a bright, yellow sun. Sitting behind her, Balthier pulled the lid off the jar. A moment afterward, his smooth hand spread a cooling salve across her shoulder blades. Fran sighed gratefully; the cooling sensation mixed with her partner's gentle touch bringing instant relief.

Balthier smirked behind his viera partner's back. It would appear the usually composed Fran was enjoying this, perhaps even a tad too much. Moving around to face her, the sky pirate carefully applied the ointment to Fran's burned cheeks and upturned nose, carefully skirting her closed eyes.

Smirk growing the runaway Archadian trailed his hand down to his partner's lips, lightly fingering them.

"Hm…" He paid no heed to the now glaring Fran, who had (surprisingly) not shoved him away yet. "It seems that you're also suffering from dry lips, another symptom of excessive sun exposure, luckily, this is another problem I can correct."

"Balthier…" Fran tried to growl but was having a hard time doing so as of present. Mainly due to the fact that aforementioned hume had cut her off by gently running his tongue across her lips. The sensation was oh-so blissful, but at the same time Fran knew she had to stop this before matters got out of hand.

Opting for a more direct approach, Fran grabbed Balthier's nose between her forefinger and thumb, pinching it hard enough to cause pain, but not bleeding.

Balthier recoiled, rubbing his nose. He sighed dramatically, "After everything I've done for you Fran, this is how you treat me?"

"I was merely repaying the debt to which I owed you."

"Is that so?" Balthier raised an eyebrow inquisitively, injured facial feature momentarily forgotten.

"Yes. Your ego seemed quite large. Luckily I believe I can, and have remedied the situation." At which point Fran exited the tent and left Balthier to finish plotting tomorrow's course, unable to keep the slight smile off her face.

Unfortunately she doubted she had done much to remedy Balthier's mammoth ego.

FIN

~*0*~

R&R please!


	6. This Is How Criminals 'Settle Down'

**Okay so you may have noticed I edited the other chapters. I also find I really dislike the chapter previous to this one. But I'm leaving it up. Because I feel like it *cough cough* too lazy *cough cough*.**

*~0~*

Cidolfus Demen Bunansa may have been mad; he may have lost all semblance of sanity. But if there is one thing a father (however loosely the term is applied) never loses, it is his intuition.

Contrary to popular belief, Dr. Cid was no mumbling fool. Well, the mumbling was arguable; however the old doctor was still very observant. Amazingly, even after six years, he could still read his son like an open book; and if Ffamran thought otherwise, then he was the fool.

Cid had not been lying when he had said that he had had high hopes for his son. For one to be a judge, and at such a young age! There was only one area in which it seemed his son could improve; which was of course, his restlessness when it came to women.

Cid had presented his son with a number of worthy betrothals, none of which had been to Ffamran's liking. The boy had no trouble getting women to adore him, but he didn't seem to take an interest in any particular one of them for long. This mule-headedness had become so pervasive that The Doctor had been about to force someone on his son, when the boy had fled the coop.

Thus when Cid had seen his son reappear, he had almost let lose a torrent of laughter. It would seem that his son, his restless offspring had finally decided to settle down (as much as a sky pirate can), and with a Viera no less!

He wondered if his son could have possibly foreseen this. Foreseen a possible meeting with his father in the future, and done this just to taunt him. Dangle a creature of scientific value in front of a scientist to anger him. The boy was restless and noncommittal but when he did consign to something, there was no discouraging him. It was unlikely that Ffamran had ever planned on returning.

So it must be love that motivated his son to involve himself with the Viera. Cid smiled manically, suave, logical, Ffamran had finally fallen for someone? The world must be coming to an end. Come to think of it, is Cid had his way, the world as they knew it _would_ come to an end.

And from there the Doctor was once again lost to his more fanatical thoughts.

*~0~*

**The party encounters Dr. Cid:**

**Balthier: Hey everyone, meet my dad!**

**Cid: Haha! Magic rocks that glow! Talking ghosts that only I can see! Always brush twice a day, it's proper oral hygiene!**

**Fran: When this is all over we need to have a **_**long**_** talk.**


	7. How is a Sky Pirate Like a Tree?

Many years ago, shrouded in an earthy veil of jungle, a young viera planted a tree. She watched the tree as a seedling, growing close to its kind, as if the only thing it desired was to be a mirror image of its kin. She watched this tree grow from a sapling to a thin-trunked adolescent, watched it shoot up and away from its neighboring relatives, out growing its desire to fit in and turning that rejection into the strength it needed to flourish.

Over time the tree grew tall and thick-limbed, to the point where the viera, now fully-grown herself, no longer needed to water it. The tree was taller than those adjacent to it, despite being far younger. It was then that Fran knew that the wood no longer needed her, and that she no longer needed the wood.

*~0~*

Now, standing in the hangar where Vaan and Penelo had been keeping the Strahl, mere feet from the boarding ramp, Fran paused. This past year had changed her partner, his maturity had grown tenfold, his sardonic complaints turned to imperfections he worked to improve, and his sincerity shown through his amber eyes. The willowy sapling of a man Fran had met seven years ago was a great oak now. He no longer needed her careful pruning.

"Here our ways part." Fran stated, more to herself than Balthier, "We are partners no longer." She looked up and met Balthier's shocked gaze, his eyes demanding an answer of her.

"Far before your life time, I planted a tree, deep inside the shelter of the wood." Fran spoke slowly, her eyes trailing across the graceful curves of the Strahl, soaking in her majesty for the last time. "In its youth, relied on me, the sapling did, needed me to live. Many winters passed, and the sapling was a sturdy tree, and had use for me no longer. It is this way with you, Ffamran, sapling you once were, but fully grown you are now. The hour of my leave arrives; you require my support no longer."

Fran was true to her word. She did not linger, merely nodded her head to the blatantly astonished Balthier, and took her leave.

"Fran wait."

She did not wait.

"Fran stop."

She did not stop.

"Listen to me!"

When one has the ears of a rabbit, it is impossible not to listen.

"In Archadia, we had Imperial Gardens." Balthier spoke quickly, swiftly, afraid of losing the one woman who had ever truly cared for him, "I would oft visit them on errands, gathering herbs for experiments. The head gardener, a man by the name of Linus, always scolded me for running in his precious gardens. 'The plants are to be admired,' he would say 'why raise them if you can't be there to witness their full-grown majesty?'", He sighed, "You work too hard, Fran, to not enjoy the fruits of your labors."

Fran turned and walked swiftly to her former, former, partner. Kissing him full on the lips, she did something she had never done before.

She admired her gardening.

**Um, hello, back again, although I really should be working on my multi-chapter fics… Sigh, I would post what I already have, but I don't want to make readers wait for weeks between the chapters…**

**Anyway, have a nice day and please review!**


End file.
